Rough Music explores transgression and shame in British folklore and customs. It takes in a wide array of examples including Bonfire Night, Wassail, Morris dancing, Mari Lwyd and Twelfth Night, along with events like the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, and street football.
Liz Williams explores the roots and roles of violence, mockery, protest and public shaming. She also addresses alternative culture and modern protests, such as the Battle of the Beanfield and the Stonehenge Free Festival. The interaction between racism and traditions involving blackface, alongside the emergence of all-female Morris sides, is also examined. Finally, it looks at folklore's evolution in the digital age, highlighting new developments such as ghost bikes. This engaging book offers an entertaining yet rigorous look at British folklore and culture.
'A lively and well-informed account of traditional British popular customs, with a novel and valuable pair of twists: showing the close relationship of those customs with subversion and disorder, and following their observance up into the current time. It is thus a revealing commentary on both past and present.'
Ronald Hutton, professor of history, University of Bristol, and author of Pagan Britain
'Williams casts a refreshing twenty-first-century eye over a range of vibrant customs and traditions, questioning ideas of timelessness and exploring the relevance of folklore in society today. Her book is an engaging and thoughtful contribution to the current New Wave of folklore studies in Britain.'
Owen Davies, professor of social history, University of Hertfordshire, and author of Art of the Grimoire: An Illustrated History of Magic Books and Spells
By:
Liz Williams
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 216mm,
Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781836390602
ISBN 10: 1836390602
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 01 July 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Contents Introduction Chapter 1: What Is Folklore? Chapter 2: Jacks in the Green Chapter 3: The Mari Lwyd: Horse Skulls and Wren Hunting Chapter 4: Wassail, Wassail, All Over the Town Chapter 5: Morris and Molly Chapter 6: Mystery Plays Chapter 7: Bonfire Night: Gunpowder, Treason and Plot Chapter 8: All the Fun of the Fair? Chapter 9: Cheese Rolling Chapter 10: Street Football Chapter 11: Up Helly Aa Chapter 12: Trick or Treat Chapter 13: Skimmity Riding Chapter 14: The Future of Folk Practice References Bibliography Acknowledgements and Permissions Index
Liz Williams is a writer and journalist. She lives in Glastonbury. Her books include Miracles of Our Own Making: A History of Paganism (2020), also published by Reaktion Books.
Reviews for Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain
'A lively and well-informed account of traditional British popular customs, with a novel and valuable pair of twists: showing the close relationship of those customs with subversion and disorder, and following their observance up into the current time. It is thus a revealing commentary on both past and present.' – Ronald Hutton, Professor of History, University of Bristol, and author of Pagan Britain
